SPECIAL ISSUE #46 🎆

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND RESOLUTIONS

Jan 02, 2023

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

The New Year is just a day old and I know from experience, that many use the start of a New Year for New Year’s resolutions.

For some reason, that has always made me giggle and I have never quite understood that “tradition”. If I want to do something, I do not want to wait for a certain time or date, I simply do it – even if in all honesty, it doesn’t always work out. But I have always seen the waiting for New Year as a great excuse to procrastinate what most will not do or see through anyway.

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.” — Gilbert K. Chesterton

I remember very well when I decided to stop smoking (took me long enough) it was December 16th many years ago and a friend asked me why I don’t wait until the New Year to stop. The question bewildered me. I just wanted to stop so why should I have continued smoking for another two weeks, especially as I would probably not have quit then?

Over the past few years, I have somehow developed my own traditions.

I do love challenges! And just like this Newsletter started with a personal challenge, wondering where it would lead me and if I could be consistent. In 2020, on January 3rd it started with my Poetry Challenge - reading a poem on my YouTube channel every day of the year and adding a song (or a few songs) to every poem on my "Poetry Love" playlist - which was amazing and became such an important and beautiful part of my day and helped me survive the madness of that excruciating year.

But back to New Year's resolutions. I do understand that for many it is an opportunity to start something new, perhaps something different with a clean slate. But being the creatures that we are, we tend to indulge in high expectations towards ourselves and others, but especially ourselves. We make all these great plans and perhaps even make grand gestures without thinking them through to the end. Often these New Year's resolutions are more New Year's wishful thinking. I do believe it is great to have plans, dreams, and goals. It is also important to do something that will make you accountable so you actually do see it through. Setting a goal too high can be a killjoy and can cause more frustration than anything else. If you have a big goal, make sure you break it down into doable smaller ones and be kind to yourself if you miss one or the other - just don't give up.

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Having said that I have set the tone for my personal 2023. So whether or not you have made any New Year's resolutions or just have new plans and goals for this year, have fun doing it and always take into consideration that plans and goals may change in the course of a year!

I wish each and every one of you not only a Happy New Year but a peaceful one that is filled with love and all that is important to you to make it a great 2023!

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” — Benjamin Franklin

🎶My Song of the Day

I want to beginn the new year with a song I love very much. Vienna by Billy Joel…

For more good music, go to this Spotify playlist where you can find all the songs from the Change & Evolve Letters!

📚My Poem of the Day

Is by John Clare (1793–1864)

The Old Year

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The Old Year’s gone away
To nothingness and night:
We cannot find him all the day
Nor hear him in the night:
He left no footstep, mark or place
In either shade or sun:
The last year he’d a neighbour’s face,
In this he’s known by none.

All nothing everywhere:
Mists we on mornings see
Have more of substance when they’re here
And more of form than he.
He was a friend by every fire,
In every cot and hall–
A guest to every heart’s desire,
And now he’s nought at all.

Old papers thrown away,
Old garments cast aside,
The talk of yesterday,
Are things identified;
But time once torn away
No voices can recall:
The eve of New Year’s Day
Left the Old Year lost to all.

👀Impressions

Of course the first one of the year has to be one of Lake Starnberg ❤

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If you would like to connect with me, find out more about the Enneagram and yourself, and how it can transform you and your life, I would be happy to take the time for a speed coaching call that you can reserve right here go to my website or simply hit reply and get in touch with me directly.

Do you do New Year’s Resolutions?

Thank you for reading and if you enjoy it, leave a ❤️, share it, and as always I look forward to your comments and feedback.

Yours

Tanja 🤗

Change & Evolve Letter